BNSF ACe 8403 leads a coal train through Spruce, Colorado on the Joint Line.

Coal is still king on the Joint Line, and this one is traveling through the S curve at Spruce, Colorado, where it will stop briefly before heading into Palmer Lake.

BNSF 8403 (SD70ACe) makes like and Alco as it muscles a loaded coal train forward on the Joint Line at Spruce, Colorado.

BNSF 6018 (ES44AC) leads a loaded coal train south on the Joint Line towards Palmer Lake, Colorado.

A BNSF windmill blade train runs through Spruce, Colorado on the southbound Joint Line. The blades are made of a hollow composite material and are light enough to usually require a solo engine to... (more)

UP 7511 (ES44AC) leads a coal train through Spruce, Colorado.

UP 7511 (ES44AC) brings a loaded coal train south on the Joint Line through Spruce, Colorado.

Helper engine BNSF 5652 (AC4400CW) sits on a siding at Spruce, Colorado for the call to assist a train over the Palmer Divide.

BNSF 730 (Dash9 Warbonnet) takes the curve leading from Spruce Colorado and heads towards Palmer Lake.

BNSF Warbonnet 730 (Dash9) still looks good as it runs the S curve at Spruce, Colorado.

It takes a lot of horsepower to get a standing full load of coal moving again, and BNSF ACe 9139 does its best Baldwin imitation while doing so on the Joint Line in Spruce, Colorado.

BNSF 9139 (SD70ACe) runs through Spruce, Colorado, passing a helper unit should any heavy trains needs the assist to get over the Palmer Divide.

BNSF ACe 9139 leads a loaded coal train through Spruce, Colorado, roughly half way between Greenland and Palmer Lake.

A southbound Santa Fe manifest passes approaches the Palmer Divide, moving between Spruce and Palmer Lake, Colorado.

After traffic south of Palmer Lake has cleared, a southbound Santa Fe manifest passes through the “sag” between Spruce and Palmer Lake, Colorado.